Stick with the religion you were born with??

Nick the Pilot said:
"Stick with the religion you were born with??"

--> Not if you find a better one.
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No doubt. But out of loyalty, I suppose you should take one last really sincere look at the one you were born into, not just go off on some whim.
 
There's an old saying - One doesn't get to choose their biological family; they do get to choose their personal family. A lot of the time the two are the same. Sometimes it is a little of both, and for some their personal family has nothing to do with the biological one.

For me religion is like that. Chances are we are likely to be born into a family that practices a particular religion. We can choose to stick with that path, widen the path to include what we started with along with other philosophies that make sense. And sometimes we change theological paths completely.

There is no correct path here, although there will be plenty who will want to tell you otherwise. In the end, if you are going to be true to yourself, the right answer for you is the one that suits you best.
 
Senthil said:
No doubt. But out of loyalty, I suppose you should take one last really sincere look at the one you were born into, not just go off on some whim.
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See, g!d gives us reason and compassion. If I were born into an Aryan Nation White Only Christianity, is there any reason or emotion to stay there? I think not. We are made to think and love, it is by reason and love that we should find our g!d.
 
Some people say that, when something bad happens, we should bear our cross and suffer through it. I say that, when something bad happens, it is our 'cross to bear' to get out there and do something about it. Sticking with a religion that a person doesn't like is not a cross that anyone needs to bear.
 
I really don't understand why people make such a big deal out of changing religions. I guess I'll just remain perplexed about it.
 
Exactly SG. It is sort of like saying you have to root for the team of the city you were born into... Or the patriotic malarchy because we happen to be born here. Each and every entity needs to stand on its own and not simply due to loyal fans...
 
Wil,

Your sports team example is a good analogy. Foolish and misguided loyalty can sometimes lead to a person's unhappiness. (And this is just as true of marriage as it is of religion!)
 
radarmark said:
See, g!d gives us reason and compassion. If I were born into an Aryan Nation White Only Christianity, is there any reason or emotion to stay there? I think not. We are made to think and love, it is by reason and love that we should find our g!d.
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Of course. But that is an extreme example. It's like the old adage of respecting elders. Obviously not, if they are nutcases.
 
There is a form of psychological manipulation where people are manipulated into doing things because the person giving is orders is an authority figure. The idea is, "Don't do it because it is right or good, do it because our religious teacher is telling you to do it." Refusing to follow the authority figure's orders causes the person to feel guilty, and it is this guilt which is used to make the manipulation successful.

I would like to recommend to everyone to watch a movie called Here Comes Mr. Jordan.

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) - IMDb

First of all, this is a semi-religious movie, where a man dies, meets an angel whose job it is to escort him to heaven, and a fascinating adventure which ensues. It is a wonderful movie and I know everyone will enjoy it.

In the movie, the angel keeps trying to use another angel, the 'head angel', as an authority figure, as a way of trying to manipulate the newly-dead man (Joe) into doing what the angel wants Joe to do. This a unique and very clever example of a manipulation that we usually do not think of as a manipulation. (Fortunately, Joe never succumbs to the angel's manipulations, and Joe ends up going on a fascinating adventure.) Please watch the movie and see how the angel is using this as a way to try to manipulate Joe into 'cooperating'. This is a very subtle manipulation indeed. (The angel also tries to use other manipulations -- see if you can spot them.)

Saying that we should stick with the religion we were born with is exactly this type of manipulative appeal to an authority figure.
 
wil said:
Namaste NN and thanx,

So as not to derail another thread thought I'd start this over here.

On one hand you posit 'What's wrong with the ones we have already?' We'll ignore that for the moment although it does imply some acceptance of religions other than the one you were born with but...

Let's get into "Maybe stick with the religious tradition you were raised with??"

Why would we? Comfort? To appease the elders? Because we chose our parent's? Or becuase there is some divinity in the sperm and egg that got together in that space and time which indicates we should stick with the one we were raised with?

But wouldn't that imply that we should not proslytize or convert or otherwise attempt to convince another that their religion is second rate at best?
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religion follows the tribe.
religion is what keeps the tribe together.
What an individual decides to do means little.
Only what affects the group has any lasting importance.
Follow the tribe.
 
I was born a Christian, fell of the wagon, than came back to god in later years.
 
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